Breastfeeding Support at Workplace : World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week :

The world is celebrating #worldbreastfeedingweek and being a mother who exclusively breastfed her baby for more than a year, I’m loving these awareness initiatives and celebrations. Motherhood is beautiful and to me, Breastfeeding is much more than providing a nutrition to the new born.

It is a moment of bonding, a bond of pure love between a mother and baby. It is a moment of emotional support, warmth, a pacification, which a baby needs when they enter this world. Celebrating Breastfeeding week (1st -7th August), Apollo Cradle Royale Delhi, initiated an awareness campaign with experts :

The Golden hour of Breastfeeding :

The first 60 minutes after a baby birth is the most crucial time to give your newborn a successful start towards breastfeeding. This skin to skin contact during this golden hour is crucial for the development of a new born. Sooner the breastfeeding starts after birth, better is the bonding of a mum and baby.

Benefits of Breastfeeding and an early skin to skin contact :

1. The early contact and suckling in this golden hour, releases hormones, which lowers down the stress level and promotes emotional connect with the new born.

2. In this hour when babies attach themselves for feeding, it helps in overall establishment of Breastfeeding and a better latching, thus preventing many latching issues.

3. The release of Oxytocin hormone during breastfeeding helps in contracting the uterus which supports in reducing the blood flow after birthing. It also promotes uterus to return back to its pre-pregnancy size.

4. The initial yellow milk, called Colostrum is a super food for your newborn, helping in building a strong immune system right from the start. It has high levels of protein, fats, vitamins and is the best nutrition for your baby. Colostrum and breastfeeding are extremely important for pre-term babies.

5. It lowers the risk of allergies, since breastmilk contains antibodies which helps in fighting with various pathogens, bacterias.

6. Exclusively breastfed babies till 6 months, have less of respiratory issues (strong lungs), less ear infections, less diarrhoea and prevent many diseases in the longer run. The baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) dip by more than 50%, if they are breastfed.

7. Breastfeeding promotes healthy weight gain in children and prevents from being overweight or obese. It lowers the probability of Type 1 and 2 diabetes. There are less chances of being obese (for the mum) after birthing, as breastfeeding burns up to 500 calories a day.Related Read :Tips to reduce belly fat after pregnancy

8. A higher cognitive development and a better IQ is promoted by exclusive breastfeeding.

9. Less chances of postmenopausal osteoporosis for the mother. It is also said to reduce the chances of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, which are the leading cancers in women.

10. Breastfeeding is an effective post-baby, birth control option (though not 100%), if you follow certain norms.
And lastly, Breastfeeding establishes a beautiful and an unmatchable bonding between a child and mum, which goes long way in their lives.

Breastfeeding at workplace :

Breastfeeding is often considered as a “No” for workplace, despite employers being aware of the goodness of breastmilk. Due to non-cooperative workplaces, mothers often sacrifice either their career or breastfeeding their child, both of which are of immense value for a woman. Even if a mum needs to join back her work, Breastmilk should still be fed to the baby exclusively for minimum 6 months.

I was myself a working mum and resumed my office after 3 months. Yet, I managed to this exclusivity, with a great support at workplace, understanding colleagues and flexibility to work from home.

Though, most of the organizations aren’t prepared for a woman returning from maternity leave to fulfil her needs of breastfeeding her newborn. It requires a commitment from a mum as well as a positive approach from employer. We discussed in detail about Breastfeeding at workplace at Apollo Cradle Royale Delhi, which believes in exclusive Breastfeeding.

Below mentioned practises can help Breastfeeding at workplace :

Implementation of 6 month Maternity leave needs a strict adherence across all organizations. A new mum can easily opt for work from home to support the work during these months and continue her exclusively breastfeeding journey.

A nursing mum should be given flexible working schedules, to feed her child and to express milk.

A closed, private nursing room, having facilities as Natural lights, a sink, pumping facility, refrigerator (for storage), must be mandatory. This can help a mum easily express her milk and store it to feed her child. Such rooms can also be a space to breastfeed a baby (if a mum brings her child to office)

Workshops should be conducted for employees to support their breastfeeding colleagues. Even appreciation programs should be conducted for the support from employees. A positive atmosphere can help promote the best output and the required diversity at workplaces.

Job sharing in the initial months can be done to support a breastfeeding mother.

Government should introduce Tax – credits to organizations having such friendly policies.

Presence of a quality creche can be of a great support to a mom during her tenure. It relieves her of the shuttling stress between her job and caring a baby. Having slots to feed and see her child will not only make her fulfil her responsibilities but also make her emotionally happy. This will reflect in her dedication towards work with high outputs.

Organizations need to understand that breastfeeding a child will keep the baby healthy, thus reducing the medical expenses and absenteeism at workplace for a mum as well. Promoting it is the noblest cause an organization can do for future generations!

This initiative also laid focus on the Myths about breastfeeding as :

1. You shouldn’t nurse if you have breast infection, Mastitis : Fact : One should feed and even put the breastmilk around the areola, after every feeding session.
2. You need to wean, if you join back work : Fact : No, you ca continue pumping and feed your child with breastmilk for more than a year.
3. Formula Milk is same as Mother’s milk : Fact : Remember, the antibodies, anti-allergens present in breastmilk cannot be there in Formula. Not even Bovine colostrum can compete with Breastmilk.
4. The first yellow milk should not be given : Fact : Colostrum, the first milk is the richest milk and the best gift a mum can give her baby. It is this milk which raises a child’s immunity, decreases chances of jaundice, and fights various infections.
5. If your mother had trouble breastfeeding, you will also have same issues : Fact : Breastfeeding problems are not genetic and historic. If you get the right way, support and help, you can easily breastfeed your child.
6. You might not produce enough Breastmilk so support with Formula : Fact : No! The production of milk is simply a mathematics of demand and supply. If you exclusively breastfeed for initial few weeks, you will never run out of milk. The more you breastfeed, the more will be the production. Don’t resort to formula in between.
7. Many foods can result in lactation problems : Fact : A new mum can have everything which is healthy and nutritious. We just need to be cautious while having those non-healthy foods, as 10% of what we eat, passes to the baby via breastmilk. So eat everything healthy you love.

Being a mom is a hardwork, let this beautiful journey bond you with your child forever. This breastfeeding week initiative has helped many moms in their journey of nurturing a healthy baby. Their support to help mums exclusively breastfeed is incredible.

So lets all “Sustain Breastfeeding together”!

Much love and hugs,

Jhilmil

Share this:

Like this:

Jhilmil

Quest to live the life surrounded with the charming little bundle's of joy. When they speak, I sing, When they smile, I rejoice , When they hug, I hold them never to lose, Such is my passion for these Gifts of God.

This love urged me to navigate separately from my Travel Blog & establish an "All-In-One" Blog for budding mothers. Mum's have multi-tasked this world ,with all her professional commitments , she still makes an extra effort to be a loving, caring and be an intellectual mommy! Cheers, for me too come from the same fraternity, post having a superb academics & close to 8 years of professional experience and blessed with a little one "who has indeed changed my life from Autumn to Spring";)

34 Comments

While the world appreciates the wonders of breast milk we in India are definitely lacking behind in terms of support for new mommies who need to get back to work soon. Workplaces need to give more support to the new mommies. Hopefully, stringent reforms will be launched in this regard.

Such a lovely post. You have covered an extremely important topic. Breast feeding is so important for the new born baby as well as the mother. It is high time to introduce new work culture and encourage breast feeding to build a better and healthier tomorrow.

Absolutely agreed to your thoughts shared above on Breastfeeding ! I’m Highly impressed by the initiative taken for breastfeeding moms. Lets all Sustain Breastfeeding together, Let’s Support Each Other !

Breastfeeding your infant is extremely essential. I don’t understand how some mom’s just give up on it so quickly. I know someone who wouldn’t even try to breastfeed her new born. I guess such drills come as a blessing to spread awareness about breastfeeding.

Absolutely agree with the pointers and thoughts you have shared. This is such a comprehensive post that highlights the importance of breastfeeding and its support at workplace. Such initiatives are a great way to bust myths too.

EBF is imp and all mom should practice this. I always suggest every mom for this. But they want easy alternative always. I didnt have sufficient milk. I took medicines and gone under-weight too. But I did it for 6 months. But in Kolkata, there was no scope for it so I had no option.

I too resumed work dear when my child was 3 months old and took a rented flat adjacent to my office so that I can come back and feed my baby. My office was extremely supportive and I have a deep gratitude for them.

Its good to see that people become more aware about this. We need more awareness for EBF. Even doctors should also push the moms for it. I have seen many doctors tell no need to do EBF, give water also. but how could they tell such things!

It was a crucial week and we saw a lot of awareness being created about the myths of breastfeeding to the urban women. Even my latest post speaks about infants who need alternatives soon after breastfeeding days are over. Great post.

It’s great that we are talking about it but what is more important is to have facilities for Moms to breastfeed their children in public places like malls. Even big places are not well equipped. Very informative post.

LOvely write up dear. Seriously , i believe i could carry on to breastfeed as much i could just because of immense support I got from my family. I expressed and tandem fed too to my twinies. a journey it was.

This is such an impressive & commendable post on breastfeeding for working mums, Jhilmil.

It’s still so relevant that Indian workplaces aren’t that breastfeeding-friendly yet & therefore, nursing moms have to choose between breastfeeding & their career. The recent 6-month maternity leave is quite a solace, but still it doesn’t help much in this department with extended breastfeeders. So far, only breast pumps come across as saviors to working moms.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name*

Email*

Website

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

About Me

Jhilmil Bhansali

Hey, Welcome! I’m Jhilmil, and my sweet little blog is all about Cherishing Parenthood, Raising munchkins, Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle and yes, It will be a strong voice for “Womanhood”. Living in the country of Diversity India.